


Stealing Flowers

by Sexonfire24



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Human, Derek and Stiles are Dorks, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fanart, Fluff and Angst, Growing Up Together, M/M, Oblivious Derek, Oblivious Stiles, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 20:26:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4033411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sexonfire24/pseuds/Sexonfire24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Sometimes I steal flowers from your garden on my way to the cemetery, but today you’ve caught me and have demanded to come with me to make sure the “girl is pretty enough to warrant flower theft” and I’m trying to figure out how to break it to you that we’re on our way to a graveyard” AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was on tumblr and saw this wonderful prompt from [Awful Au's](http://awful-aus.tumblr.com/post/116941769918/awful-au-196/)  
> and I HAD to write it. I hope you guys like how it turned out, the way I did.
> 
> A HUGE thanks to the lovely [Bee](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaOfDragons/)  
> for the amazing beta work she did in this to me. Thank you sweet, you're awesome!

Stiles mom died when he was nine.

 

Claudia was a beautiful woman with brown eyes and a bright smile. She was kindergarten teacher and had met Stiles’ dad when he arrested her because she was protesting against the construction of a building. John always said that she was the most wild and beautiful thing that he ever saw, even if she hadn’t taken a shower in two days when they first met because she was slipping in the tree. She taught Stiles how to read, and used to read all her books to him every night; when she fell sick, he was the one reading for her in her hospital bed. She was a strong and inspiring woman and her loss took a toll on both him and John, and it made them stick together even more.

 

Once a month Stiles and John go to the cemetery to put flowers in her grave. After his dad became Sheriff, he could no longer go every month but Stiles refused to decrease his visits, so he started to go alone. At the beginning, he missed his dad’s presence, but over time he found himself doing more than just leaving flowers; he started talking to her and telling her everything that was happening in his life.

 

Every time life got a little hectic, and he was feeling at the verge breakdown he would go see his mom to explain what was happening and imagine her comforting him how she used to.

 

During the week prior to his visits, he would ask his dad for the money to buy the flowers but one time he forgot, and Stiles didn’t even have lunch money to use.

 

Stiles was halfway to the cemetery when he crossed the street and saw a beautiful house with a front garden, filled with different kind of flowers. To his luck, they had daisies, his mom’s favorite flowers; all he had to do was jump the white fence and pick them. It was the first time he stole flowers.

 

He cried at his mothers grave and swore to her that he wouldn’t do it again; he would save money and ask his dad in advance. Only on the way back he remembered who lived in that house. He had stolen flowers from the city’s attorney; he stole flowers from Talia’s Hale house.

 

He was definitely never doing it again.

 

He did it again.

 

And again.

 

Sometimes his dad forgot, sometimes he didn’t have the money, sometimes he had to buy something else; he always hoped his mom understand, after all misfortunes happens. Scott  didn't always had lunch money, or he forgot his inhaler and had an asthma attack, so Stiles need to carry his own inhaler for him,  occasionally bullies took their money and he just couldn’t let his best friend be hungry. And at times he was just  too sad to go back home and get money, he just needed the comfort that only his mom could give him.

 

The thing is, Stiles knew that you  steal something once, twice, trice, someday you’re bound to get caught. What Stiles didn’t count for was to be caught with gardening scissors and gloves in his hands, while stealing flowers from his crush’s house.

 

Derek-freaking-Hale was his Adonis and yet, also his nemesis. He was the definition of tall, dark and handsome; he was smart and older and way out of Stiles league. He was Cora’s older brother and because she was his friend and also made of pure evil, she always made Stiles embarrass himself in front of him. Last year, he thought that it had ended because Derek moved out from Beacon Hills to college; he had received a scholarship to play basketball for UCLA and they just won the finals. Not that Stiles keep tabs on his life or anything.

 

“I swear that I can explain.” He said, bright red while Derek held him up by the collar of his shirt.

 

“Don’t bother kid, you’re dressed in your best clothes, you look like you shaved and also you’re smelling great too, so I don’t need to be a genius to guess this one. You’re going to see your girl, for the what, third time? In less than two weeks, and came to raid my dad’s garden. Again”

 

“I’m not- That’s not what-” Derek cut him off before he could finish.

 

“Cut the crap, I’m not interested in your excuses. You should be embarrassed. You’re the Sheriff’s son and you are breaking into private property and stealing things that aren’t yours. Imagine what your dad would say if he knew that? What your mom would think of y-”

 

Stiles jerked back so hard that Derek released the grip he had in his shirt, and he almost spat the words into the jock face.

 

“Don’t fucking open your mouth to talk about my mom. You don’t know shit about me, my dad or my mom. Yes, you caught me stealing the flowers from your house. Yes, I’m doing it again, and yes you can tell your mom, dad, you can even call the cops if you want, but I can’t give you money for the flowers and I can’t put it back because I’ve already cut it off, but you have no right to speak about my parents.”

 

“Okay, you’re right, I shouldn’t have said that.” Derek said as he raised his hands in a placating motion. He let Stiles regain his breath and kept going. “But that doesn’t mean that you can keep stealing flowers from my house Stiles, I don’t care if you have a date with Caitlin, Heather or what’s her name-”

 

“What? You think I’m not dating any of tho- How do you even know my friends names?” He inquired confused, because one, he never thought Derek knew about his existence, and two, he just said the names of the only girls Stiles had kissed in his whole life.

“What? Like it’s difficult know about people’s live in this city, besides I’m Cora’s brother, she sometimes tell me about how her friends are doing when we talk. Look, it doesn’t matter, what matters is that you’re a flower thief and I will tell my mom.”

 

“Please don’t tell your mom, she is friends with my dad and she is going to be disappointed and my dad will feel disappointed. Please dude, don’t do that. I can pay for the flowers-“

 

“You just said you don’t have the money,” Derek said, glaring daggers at him. “And don’t call me dude.”

 

“Not today, okay? Tomorrow I can drop by and give you the money for the flowers-”

 

“I don’t want your money.” He told Stiles looking really unimpressed.

 

“I can-I can, I don’t know, clean your car, do your homework-”

 

“I’m in a sophomore in college, Stiles; you’re still a senior in high school and even if you’re smart enough I don’t want that.”

 

Stiles huffed a suffering breath and decided take the bait. “Ok, so please tell me Derek, what do you want?"

 

“I’m going to your date with you.”

 

“You wanna what?” He asked startled, and Derek looked at him like Stiles was the only one being completely crazy.

 

“I am coming with you. I need to see what girl is so pretty that you have to raid my dad’s garden so many times, in order to keep her.”

 

Stiles was so astonished with Derek’s behavior that he didn’t know how to react. “You’re kidding, right? You’re not really planning in follow me to-”

 

“I’m not following you; I’m not a stalker Stiles, I’m just going with you. I promise you that I won’t embarrass you in front of her, you can say that I’m your friend and we bumped in each other on the way and I asked to come along. Now let’s go, flower thief, you’re wasting my time.” As he said this, he started walking towards the fence, opened the gate and motioned to the boy. “Hurry, I don’t have the whole day.”

 

While they walked Stiles looked from Derek to the flowers in his hand and he didn’t have any idea of what he would say to Derek, how was he going to tell Derek that he wasn’t going to see a girl? Okay, that was a lie, he was going to see the only woman in his life, but it still didn’t explain why he had robbed the  guy’s family garden multiple times. He wasn’t telling the guy he had a crush since he discovered he wasn’t heterosexual at fifteen that now that Scott and Cora were both dating, he was feeling so lonely and sad that he talked to his dead mother at least once a week. He could send Heather a text and ask her to meet him somewhere; but he didn’t wanted to lie to Derek. Asshole or not, he was still saved Stiles and Scott from bullies a lot of times in school, and he was still the boy Stiles liked, even if he hadn’t any chance with him.

 

“What do you plan on doing when we get there? Steal my girl, to make me learn not steal from you anymore.” He asked smiling, hell, if he was going to be embarrassed he was at least talking with him a little bit.

 

“I don’t date teenage girls Stiles, and even if you were seeing someone interesting, I wouldn’t do fuck with you like that.” Derek quipped back with a smile of his own, and damn, Stiles could easily get used to be in the receiving end of that smile.

 

“I’ll only be there and pretend to be your friend and tell her a lot of embarrassing stories about you.”

 

“You don’t know shit about me.” He said bumping Derek off the sidewalk.

 

“No? You sure of that?” When Stiles hummed his answer, Derek added, “So you won’t care if I tell her about that time that you and Scott got lost in the woods because you’re snooping in one of your dad’s cases? Or that time you fainted when Scott was getting his tattoo, or-”

 

“Ok, ok, I get it smartass, Cora tells you all my misadventures. She is in a hell of a lot of trouble and she doesn’t even know. Why do you even want to hear those things anyway?” They were walking and pushing each other, bumping shoulders and talking freely like they were friends and Stiles was loving every second of it.

 

“I’m in college Stiles, without my friends, without my family. Have you seen my family? It’s big, there’s always someone home, I’m- I’m never alone when I’m at home. So if my little sister wants to tell me about her friend’s shenanigans, I’ll gladly hear it.”

 

“So you’re lonely? Wow, who knew that Derek Hale, Beacon Hills High jock star, prom king and hottest guy in school is feeling lonely in college.”

 

Derek tripped him and Stiles only could laugh because he totally deserved that one.

 

“Yeah dork, I’m feeling lonely. I miss my family and friends, so what?” he scolded but he was still smiling.

 

“Nothing man, nothing! We alpha males get feelings too. Don’t let my ripped body deceive you, I’m a fluffy at heart.”

“Seriously? That stud muffin t-shirt misleads me!” Derek gasped. “Ok, now, jokes aside, we’ve been walking at least ten minutes and this certainly isn’t the movie theater, so what are we doing by  the cemetery? Are you planning in bury me in one of the graves? Or is your girl gothic or something, I thought the trend was over already.” He asked, smiling.

 

“You asked me to bring you to my date, so I did.” Stiles gave him a sad smile and walked through the graveyard gates; now it was Derek’s choice to follow him.

 

He walked all the way to his mom’s grave without turning back. He couldn’t handle the idea of Derek running away from him. In the last hour, they talked more than that first time Derek lifted him off the ground when Jackson bumped him in the middle of the cafeteria just to laugh at Stiles’s expense. Derek had scolded him and after that day he always helped Stiles and Scott.

 

He took out the bag from his pocket, collected the old flowers to put in the trash, and did what he was there to do.

 

“Hey mom, it’s me, again. I was restless and couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up and I was going through some old stuff yours that I found in the attic; books, pictures, some of your journals and I started to read it and I got so sad thinking about how I’ll never be close to you again, how it was unfair that life took my best friend away from me. And you know that I have Scott, and I have Cora, but they have their own stuff to do and in these past few weeks it hit me, that school is ending and all of us are going to be apart and I don’t want to let them go, you know? And who is gonna take care of Dad and look out for his blood pressure and his cholesterol, and make sure he eats his vegetables?”

 

Stiles could barely breathe, he was choking back on his own tears and he startled when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. Derek was here, trying to help him like he always did back in school. He squeezed Derek’s hand back and took a deep breath trying to calm himself.

 

He could do this, he had to do this.

 

“I was reading and I was there feeling sorry for myself and I saw your ‘For dark moments’ journal, and I thought there’s no moment like now, right? When I opened it, I discovered that you had made it for me. I asked pops about it and he said that he was supposed to give me before I left for college. Before you left, you took the time to think about me, to think about what I could go through in life, to assure me that you loved me and cared about me and you would be there for me anytime in my path.”

 

He wiped his eyes and smiled at her grave. “So, I had to come here and thank you. Not only for taking care of me even from heaven, but for loving me so much that even death couldn’t break us apart. I love you mom, more than anything else, I’m so grateful that you and dad found each other, and I’m even more grateful to be your son.”

His voice broke in a sob and Derek squeezed his shoulder again. Dammit, he had snot all over his face and his eyes probably were red and puffy - if he had zero chance with Derek before, the guy would probably pity Stiles now.

 

“By the way mom, I know I said I wasn’t stealing Mr. Hale’s flowers again, but I forgot the money and didn’t wanted to come here with my hands empty, so I dropped by her house and Derek caught me. Do you remember him? I told you about the times he’s helped me against Jackson and the others. He came along today, to embarrass me in front of my girl. Little did he know that I would be the one embarrassing myself!” He looked at Derek who had sat beside him and was holding his hand, and gave him a sad smile.

 

“Of course she remembers me, she was my teacher, and she used to say that I was her best student.” Derek with big eyes and something like reverence in his voice. For a second Stiles thought he wasn’t finishing the sentence, but exhaling he added.

 

“At least until someone was born and took all her attention and hugs away from me. Hello Claudia, I just wanted to say that I’m trying to keep my promise and I know for sure you’re keeping yours.” Stiles made an inquisitive sound and Derek waved it for later.

 

They sat there in companionable silence for some time, until the gravedigger came and told them that he was closing the cemetery. They said their farewells to Claudia, and walked back home and Stiles didn’t complain for one second that Derek had his arm slung over his shoulders. If the guy wanted to give him support, who was he to refuse?

 

Before they got to Derek’s house, Stiles couldn’t stand the silence and finally asked him what he had promised his mom. Derek put some distance between them and started talking.

 

“Do you remember Paige?”

 

“I think so, she was your friend when I was little?”

 

“She was my best friend since I was three. She had leukemia, and like with your mom, the illness won. Paige died four months before your mom, and I was in the hospital when it happened. I was so sad, and so lost that I ran to the next available room; it was your mom’s. Claudia hugged me and listened to me me and she said that if she died, she would take care of Paige and she asked that I took care of you if something happened with her.”

 

He looked at Stiles with wet eyes and for the first time in the whole day, his smile faltered. “That’s why I always tried to help you when you were bullied in middle school. That’s why I keep popping out of nowhere when you were a freshman in high school. That’s one of the reasons I was always around you after that; I was keeping my end of the promise. In the last few months I wasn’t doing it, and I’m sorry that you felt lonely Stiles. I swear to you, that I’ll try to do better, it was just- it’s complicated.” He huffed his last words as if he was going to say something else and changed his mind.

 

Stiles didn’t know what to do with all of Derek just told him. How is he supposed to feel now that he knows that everything Derek did for him was a promise he made for his mom?  He spent all this time worshipping Derek for being his knight in shining armor and now he knew that he wasn’t after all. But making a promise to someone and holding it for years after that person passed away is a fucking honorable thing to do, and he was berating himself for not doing it more. He was even more wonderful than Stiles thought.

 

They were already at Derek’s house when Stiles spoke.

 

“So all this time, you were being loyal to my mom and now you’re still here, trying to apologize for not doing it better and renew your vows? Are you for real Derek? Because I can’t handle someone that selfless, I already have Scott being sunshine and rainbows, and Cora pretending she is a badass when she is nothing more than a cinnamon roll, I cannot  deal with you too.”

 

“I wasn’t being selfless; I was actually being selfish. I mean, I kept my promise and I know she is keeping hers in heaven, so.” Derek told him, blush high on his cheeks.

 

“Derek Hale is blushing, ladies and gents! How is this day real?” Stiles was smiling like a loon when something occurred to him. “You said that that was one of the reasons, what was the other one?”

 

“I did? No I didn’t, you misunderstood me.” He stuttered and looked anywhere but at Stiles.

 

“No sir, I have an amazing hearing. You told me that it wasn’t the only reason. Also you told me it was complicated. At first I thought it was because I was friends with Cora, so you was also keeping an eye on her, but that’s not a reason for it be complicated or make you selfish, Derek.”

 

“You’re picking what I said apart for nothing, it was just the way I said things. I asked your mom something, and I gave something back, this is a trade between us, nothing more. Look Stiles, I’m sorry, but I have to go okay? I’ll get your number with Cora and we talk later.”

 

Stiles didn’t understood what was happening, first he and Derek had talked and joked and it was great. They had shared important things about each other that no one else knew and now everything was going downhill. Derek was straight up hiding something from him and running away.

 

“Why are you lying to me?” he asked in a broken voice. “If you don’t want tell me something it’s okay, it’s your secret to tell, you don’t have to lie. I’m sorry if I bothered you Derek, and I swear I’m won’t steal your dad’s flowers again. You don’t need to keep your promise anymore, I can take care of myself. Goodbye Derek.” He turned in his heel and started to walk away. It was too good to be true anyway.

 

“I was being selfish.”

 

Stiles stopped dead in his track and waited.

“When I first started looking after you, we were both kids, and you were a fucking gawky kid who tripped all the time and always got himself in trouble trying to defend his friends. Then we started growing up and you’ve become the comic relief to your friends, and still got yourself in trouble all the time. But I noticed how smart you were, how loyal and how you always conceal your sadness with jokes and a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. At that time I already liked you a lot, I just didn’t knew what that meant yet.” Derek laughed a deprecating laugh and it made Stiles turn back to him. They were mere steps apart and Derek was closing the distance between them.

 

“Last year, everything went south. You got into lacrosse and cross country and the girls started to pay attention to you, even some boys talked how you were filling up nicely and I was jealous. I was so fucking jealous of everyone. Some seniors talked to me about you and Erica and Isaac joked that they would hook up with you just to annoy me. I had to watch you date Caitlin then Heather, even Malia said she would hit on you sometime. I had to stay away from you.”

 

They were facing each other and Derek reached a hand towards Stiles face only to curl it up into a fist.

 

“I saw you grow up in this beautiful, strong and loyal guy that I wanted to bring home and show to my family. One that I knew that everyone would feel proud of; took me years to realize that I loved you, and when I did it, it was too late, you were with someone else. Then college came and I thought it would pass, and it didn’t, I only missed and craved you more. I ask Cora for constant updates on your life, she gave me so much shit for it.”

 

He smiled at Stiles one more time. “That’s why I was selfish, that’s why I keep tabs on you even now. I know it makes me sound kinda twisted, stalker-ish, but it just happened. Next thing I know, I’m head over heels for my sister best friend and she is making fun of me for stealing your red hoodie and calling me big bad older and flithy wolf. My whole family knows, my uncle has a special pleasure of mocking me because of that. Also that’s why my mom keeps leaving the fence open, so you can steal our flowers.”

 

Years later, when telling this story to their children, Stiles would say that he felt thunderstruck. At the moment, the only thing he could do was laugh.

 

He laughed and laughed and laughed so hard that he doubled over his knees, holding his belly.

 

“Out of all the reactions I thought you could have, laughing in my face wasn’t one.” Derek was leaving him again and turning back home.  He needed to do something, and he need to do it fast; Still catching his breath, Stiles pulled him back and wrapped his arms around his neck.

‘Cause now that he knew Derek loved him back, he wasn’t let him going anywhere.

 

“Do you know how many times I beat myself over the fact the guy who made me realize that I was pansexual, caught me stealing his dad’s flowers? Do you have any idea how much I despised Kate when you guys dated? Can you imagine how many times I drove up to UCLA to see you play? I started laughing because we’re two stupid guys who are so fond of each other, that never realized that the other was feeling the same thing. I was laughing ‘cause I fucking love you Derek Hale. What you gonna do about it?”

 

“I’m going to kiss this stupid smile off your face.”

 

Derek kissed him with everything he had, with all pent up frustration of years of love locked up and hidden. He kissed Stiles like his life depended on it, and Stiles gave back in the same way he took it. Only Cora’s yelling of ‘took you two so fucking long!’ and Mrs. Hale shushing her, broke them apart laughing.

 

When they kissed again Stiles thought about how maybe he would have a funny story to tell his kids about how they met. But mostly he thought how his mother had protected and cared for him, and that he would have to drop by and thank her again.

  
But this time he wouldn’t need to steal the flowers.


	2. Fan arts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The amazing artist  
> [Gri Clover](http://gri-clover.tumblr.com/) made those amazing drawings to go with this fic.  
> I feel very honnored and happy that my work has inspired something so beautiful.  
> Drop by their tumblr and check out their other drawings.

Stiles reading "For the dark moments" Journal

 

 

Derek and Stiles kissing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To see more of Gri stuff, [check their art tag here.](http://gri-clover.tumblr.com/tagged/my-art)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, and as always kudos and comments are appreciated.
> 
> You can always come to talk to me on [tumblr](hoechlinslapsdylansbutt.tumblr.com)  
> I love to chat about how much Derek want's to have Stiles babies and vice versa.


End file.
